Adjustable fur-stretcher.



H. P. HANSEN.

ADJUSTABLE FUR STBETGHEB.

APPLICATION FILED 001229, 1909.

91 Q,3 1 1 Patented Feb. 16, 1909 HENRY PETTER HANSEN, OF ALBERT LEA, MINNESOTA.

ADJUSTABLE FUR-STRETCHEB.

Specification o1 Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Appliciition flied 0mm- 29, 1905;. Serial No. 460,004.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Ps'r'rnn HAN- SEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albert Lea, in the county of Freeborn and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ad'ustable Fur-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved fur stretching device es iecially adapted for use in the stretching an' drying of small hides, such as those of the muskrat,

beaver, and other small animals.

To the above ends, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of demasis the notches 5 of the en vices hereinafter described and defined in the claims. I

In skinning muskrats, beavers, and a great many other small fur bearing animals, it is, well known, customary to pull oil the hide 'without slitting the same, and it is then customary to stretch these hides by inserting therein stretching devices. My invention rovides a sim lified 'andimproved stretchm device for t llS purpose. The said device is illustrated inihe accompanying drawings. whereinrlike characters indicate like parts throu bout the several views:

Re erring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved device; and F ig. 2 is asection on the ine w m of Fig. 1.

' The, improved device comprises a single bar 1, preferably of wood, and a stretching wire 2, preferably of spring tempered steel. This stretching Wire, which constitutes the stretcher proper, is bent to form a complete 100 that is elongated and tapered at one on ends 3 and 4. The end 4 is formed with a multipiicity of teeth or lock-notches 5, and terminates in a guide eye 6, through which the end 3 is passed. This end 3 terminates in a: laterally bent handle or finger piece 7, the

d to interlock with section4. Furtherbase of which is arra 'mo-re, the spring tension of the wire 2 is such, that the overlap ing ends thereof will normal] be spri he d tions. he tapere end ortion of the wire 2 is secured to one end 0 the wooden bar 1. and the other end of the said baris pas between the overlappingrends fland 4 of the saidwire. and hence, is held in proper alimeinvention, such as will enin interlocked posi-' and at its other end. has overlapping same expanded to ment in respect to the outwardly extended sides of the said wire. The connected end portions of the said stretching wire '2 may be ulled apart, or outward, as far as they \vil go when inserted into the skin or hide to be stretched, and the teeth or notches 5 acting on the base of the handle 7, will lock the same in any position in which the stretcher may be set. v

To release the stretcher so that it. may be contracted. that is, so that the sides of the wire "2 may be moved closer together, it is neces ary to force the handle 1 forward, so it will he disengaged from the shouldered ends of the notches 5.

W'hon the stretcher is to be applied, it should first be closed to its smallest notch. and then the fur or skin is pulled over the same and fastened at its bottom, preferably by means of one or micro thumb tacks 8, to the wooden bar 1. Then the sides of the wire 2 should be pulled apart and the far or hide is put under the desired strain, or in other words, is stretchedto the desired extent.

As a simple and efficient means for securing the looped wire 2 to the bar 1, it is passed through a perforation in one end of said bar, and is then bent so that it cannot slip in or through the said bar.

The improved stretching device above de scribed, as is evident, is of very small cost, and, at the same time, may be very easilv applied and removed. It is very light, am at the same time, it is highly cflicient for the purposes had in View. The wire is preferabl galvanized or otherwise plated, so that it will not rust Stllil'l the fur.

What I claim is:

1. A stretcher of the kind described, (our prising a bar and a'lgoped s ring member up iliel thereto, and provide with means in ependent of said her for holding the .a greater or less extent.

2. A stretcher of the. kind described, c mprising a bar and a looped spring wire member secured to one end of said bar, and provided with interlocking overlapped ends. arranged tohold the same expanded more or less.

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4. A stretcher 0f the kind described, com prising a \vunden bu! l, and a looped spring wire :2 passed through :1 perforation in one end of said bar, and provided With overlapped ends, the one having notches or teeth and a guide 100p, and the other end being fussed through said guide eye and havin a aterally bent extremity eotiperating with] In testimony whereof I affix. my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY PETTER HANSEN. Witnesses:

H. F. HANSEN, A. A. K0011. 

